1）GDC上个月针对1700名北美智能手机游戏开发者的调查结果显示，苹果iOS仍是开发者最青睐的平台，有90%受访者正面向iOS开发游戏。谷歌Android平台的开发者支持率为80%，这一数据基本上与去年持平。

虽然iOS和Android明显占据优势，但也有21%开发者正面向Windows Phone开发游戏，5%开发黑莓游戏，5%针对PlayStation Mobile开发游戏。

在接受访问、所有平台的2600多名游戏开发者中，智能手机/平板电脑是开发者当前的第二大支持平台，最盛行的平台仍是PC/Mac。

cross platform(from climaxmedia)

在这2600多名开发者中，有48%表示计划开发跨设备的游戏。76%正在执行跨平台战略的开发者表示将推出跨平台购买/通用版应用。24%受访者正向执行第二屏幕兼容性，例如推出衍生版应用。

2）据gamezebo报道，在数周前的北美AppsWorld大会上，诸多业内人士对手机游戏未来预言包括：

*目前市场上最强大的应用平台是iOS和Android，其中Android在北美之外的市场最为领先，但中国将成为2014年iOS平台的巨大推力。值得关注的海外市场包括英国、德国和韩国。

*WhatsApp、Kakao Talk、微信和Line等移动快讯平台将成为手机游戏平台的未来。

*由于行业推行免费模式，游戏制作质量也将快速发生变化。

*游戏中将出现更优秀的机制——例如，更有深度的游戏体验，更多3D元素，更多付费选项。

*与好友对抗的功能，例如《Tank Domination》就是一款能够容纳20名玩家实时对决的多人游戏。

Tank-Domination(from geeky-gadgets.com)

*更关注质量——像《Flappy Bird》这种简单机制的游戏，将出现更高质量的图像。

*传统游戏开发者将通过跨平台营销推广制作出高质量的手机游戏，例如育碧就利用移动平台推出增强主机游戏玩法的衍生版手机应用。

3）据gamasutra报道，Fire Hose Games日前宣布其位于坎布里奇的工作室将向当地失业并打算走向独立道路的开发者提供免费的办公场地。

fire hose(from hbhud.com)

报道称位于波士顿的Irrational Games宣布关闭工作室是Fire Hose Games做出这一举动的原因之一，该公司通过博客表示，他们不能对此坐视不理，他们的使命是帮助其他独立开发者，因此决定向他们施以援手。

该公司还邀请当地失业开发者通过邮件申请，并说明自己目前正在开发的项目，以及他们想在Fire Hose Games工作室做些什么的情况。获得批准的开发者将免费使用Fire Hose Games的办公室，以及该公司当前没有使用的一些硬件设备。

4）据gamasutra报道，Kongregate联合创始人及首席执行官Jim Greer日前宣布于2月28日起正式“退位”，由联合创始人及现任首席运营官Emily Greer接任CEO一职，其兄弟Jim则继续兼任公司首席技术官（他还推出了一个非盈利政治活动团体）。

Kongregate(from indiestatik.com)

Kongregate于2006年以Flash游戏平台的身份面世，并曾自称“游戏领域的YouTube”，于2010年被GameStop收购，并从此开始发布免费下载游戏和手机游戏。

5）据报道，IXDC国际体验设计协会将于3月30日在深圳会举行游戏用户体验大会。本次大会主题为“触碰体验核心”，汇集包括18名行业顶尖人士的精彩主题演讲，并得到YY（多玩）游戏大厅体验中心、腾讯互娱市场与用户研究中心、网易游戏用户体验中心、金山西山居游戏体验中心的支持。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

1）iOS game development edges out Android in new GDC poll

By GDC Staff

When it comes to smartphone game development, it’s Apple’s iOS that leads developer adoption, according to the second annual Game Developers Conference State of the Industry survey, conducted last month.

Ninety percent of over 1700 North American smartphone game developers polled said they’re currently making games for iOS. That edges out Google’s Android platform, for which 80 percent of respondents are currently making games. Those figures are virtually flat compared to last year.

While iOS and Android clearly dominate the category, smartphone game developers are also currently making games for Windows Phone (21 percent), BlackBerry (5 percent) and PlayStation Mobile (5 percent).

Among the more than 2600 game developers polled across all platforms in total, smartphone/tablet platforms were the second-most popular when it comes to games currently in development, narrowly beat out by the PC/Mac category.

Second screen development

One of the rising trends in game development is allowing the ability for customers to play and access one game through a variety of devices. That might mean a second-screen experience such as a companion app, or a Universal app that works on iPad and iPhone.

Forty-eight percent of the 2600 developers polled said they plan on making their game playable or accessible across multiple devices. Seventy-six percent of the people who are implementing cross-device compatibility said they would do it via a cross-buy/Universal app. Twenty-four percent are implementing second-screen compatibility, such as a companion app.（source：gamasutra）

2）Mobile gaming predictions from AppsWorld 2014

By Alexis Valerio

A few weeks ago, AppsWorld 2014 North America took place at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, presenting two days of cutting edge discussion on the app industry, its present, and its exciting future. During the conference, Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, was the official keynote speaker, answering questions and discussing his time at the company. Many exciting sessions were held focusing on general development, the Android platform, gaming, enterprise, and tech.

Speakers from various genres and backgrounds presented their ideas of the industry, including Seth Sternberg, Product Management Director for Google, Jonathan Karon, Product & Engineering Manager for New Relic, Randy Hunt, Creative Director of Etsy, and Tim Hundt, Senior Enterprise Architect of GE Capital.

The hottest topic at the conference was ‘The Future of Mobile Gaming’, led by Seth Tipps from Develop Magazine. Various industry luminaries spoke on this topic, including companies such as Gameloft, If You Can, Corona Labs, Disney Mobile, and Dolby Laboratories, Game Insight, King, YetiZen, Ubisoft.

We’ve round up some of the best highlights from the panel below.

The strongest app platforms on the market are currently iOS and Android, with Android leading outside of the US. However, with China’s big iOS push in 2014, this could change in foreign markets. Looking outside of iOS and Android, International networks and countries to look for include UK, Germany, and Korea.

The predictions for the platforms of the future are alternative mobile messenger platforms. Top mobile messenger apps like WhatsApp (now owned by Facebook), Kakao Talk in Korea (current partners with Game Insight), WeChat in China, and Line in Japan.

With the industry pushing more towards freemium models, the quality of games being produced will change drastically.

There will be ‘better mechanics in games’ – more in-depth gaming experiences, more 3D, and better purchasing options, for example.

The ability to compete against friends –Tank Domination, for example, is a multiplayer game that can have 20 players jn real-time combat.

Bigger focus on quality – Simpler games with Flappy Bird-esque mechanics will have higher quality graphics.

Traditional game developers will become better equipped to make quality mobile games through cross-promotional marketing efforts across the board. For example, Ubisoft is making companion apps that utilize the mobile platform to enhance console gameplay.

The predictions from ‘The Future of Mobile Gaming’ panel are largely rooted in current trends, which, while playing it safe, is arguably the best way to gauge what might be coming next.

Gamezebo has already made their predictions for the coming year in games. What are yours?（source：gamezebo）

3） Fire Hose Games offers free work space to unemployed devs going indie

By Alex Wawro

Fire Hose Games announced today that it will offer free desk space in its Cambridge, MA office to any unemployed developers in the area who are looking to go indie.

The gesture was inspired by the recent announcement that Boston-based Irrational Games is shutting down.

“We can’t sit by and watch all this potential development talent evaporate, especially considering our mission to help other indie devs,” reads the announcement published on the Fire Hose Games blog. “So we’re going to do what we can to help!”

To that end, the studio invites unemployed developers in the area to apply via email and explain what project they’re looking to work on and why they’d like to do so at the Fire Hose Games office, which the studio describes as an “awesome work environment where you can focus and get your shit done.”

Those accepted will have free access to a spare desk in the Fire Hose Games office during the workweek, as well as potential access to spare hardware the studio isn’t currently using.

It’s worth pointing out that Fire Hose Games has been a vocal proponent of independent development in the past, and is currently developing a sort of funding/mentorship program for indie developers in the Boston area. （source：gamasutra）

4）Kongregate CEO Jim Greer steps down to focus on politics

By Alex Wawro

Newsbrief: Kongregate co-founder and CEO Jim Greer announced today that he is stepping down as CEO, effective February 28.

Kongregate co-founder and current COO Emily Greer will be taking over as CEO of the casual games website. Her brother Jim will continue to serve part-time as Kongregate’s CTO while he works on launching a non-profit political action group.

Kongregate got its start in 2006 as a Flash game hub that self-identified as “the YouTube of games.” It was acquired by GameStop in 2010, and has since gone on to branch out and experiment with releasing both free-to-play downloadable titles and mobile games.（source：gamasutra）